Minneapolis Fire Department

The Minneapolis Fire Department is the sponsoring agency of Minnesota Task Force 1 (MN-TF1) an urban search and rescue team based in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.[4] Similar to the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces located across the United States, MN-TF1 is a State of Minnesota resource designed to assist with emergencies involving natural or manmade disasters that require search and rescue personnel. The task force is made up of firefighters, police officers and paramedics with specialties including heavy rescue, HazMat, medical and structure engineers.[4] Along with members of the Minneapolis Fire Department, the team also has members from the Edina Fire Department, Rochester Fire Department and Saint Paul Fire Department

In 2007 the Minneapolis Fire Department responded to the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse after the central span of the bridge suddenly gave way, followed by the adjoining spans.[6][7] Northern sections of the bridge fell into a rail yard, landing on three unoccupied and stationary freight cars.[8]

In 2016, the department equipped its 19 fire companies with Narcan (Nalaxone) nasal spray to counteract the effects of opioid/heroin drug overdoses. Through 2019, first responders had revived 920 individuals experiencing a probable opiate overdose, all carefully logged and documented in logs written by the members of the department. The numbers in adjacent St. Paul are high as well; since 2015 that city’s paramedics have administered 2,800 Narcan doses. Both cities’ police departments also carry the nasal spray.[9]